If you create an app from the Shopify admin, or if you have a Partner account, then you need to provide emergency developer contact details. Shopify collects these details so that we can communicate critical, targeted technical information to developers who maintain Shopify apps. This guide explains what you should expect from these communications to help you decide who should receive these updates.

## When will Shopify contact you?

Developer contact details are required so that we can inform you of backwards-incompatible changes in the API  version that your app is using, or a bug or outage that's affecting a significant number of users. Below are some possible situations when we might contact you:

- We are planning a change to our API that directly affects one of your apps.
- Your app is using a deprecated endpoint, which might be affecting your app's functionality or the user experience.
- Your app has a bug or experiences an outage that's affecting users' stores.

In each of these situations, our primary method of communication is email. In the second and third situations, we might also contact you by using your developer contact phone number to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

## Who should be your developer contact?

For Partners, we recommend that your developer contact is an individual or team who monitors their inbox regularly. These communications are intended for developers responsible for maintaining apps that interact with Shopify’s API, and provide information that's useful for a technical audience that's familiar with [Shopify API versioning](/docs/api/usage/versioning).

If you're an app user and you’re setting up an app on behalf of your developer, then you should ask your developer for the best contact information to use. You can direct them to this guide to provide them with more information.

## Update your developer contact details

The process of updating your developer contact details is different depending on whether you're updating details for a public app, a custom app, or a Partner organization.

### Update your API contact email for a public or custom app created in the Partner Dashboard

If your public or custom app is using an API version with backwards-incompatible changes, Shopify will contact the email address listed on your **Configuration** page.

1. Log in to your [Partner Dashboard](https://app.shopify.com/services/partners/auth/login).
2. Go to **Apps**.
3. Click the name of the app that you want to update.
4. Click **Configuration**.
5. In the **App settings** section, in the **API contact email** card, click **Edit**.
6. In the modal, enter an API contact email address.
7. Click **Save**.

### Update the contact details for a custom app created in the Shopify admin

Custom apps created in the Shopify admin have a staff or collaborator account associated with them. This account should belong to the app developer, should include the email address where you can reach them, and must have permission to develop apps.

1. From your Shopify admin, go to **[Apps](https://www.shopify.com/admin/apps)**.
2. Click **Develop apps**.
3. Click the name of the app that you want to update.
4. Click **App settings** and select an account from the **App developer** drop-down.
5. Click **Save**.

If you set the app developer to a staff or collaborator account, and later delete that account, then the store owner becomes the app developer by default.

### Update the contact details for a Partner organization

1. Log in to your [Partner Dashboard](https://app.shopify.com/services/partners/auth/login).
2. Go to **Settings**.
3. In the **Emergency developer contact information** section, enter a developer contact email address and phone number.
4. Click **Save**.

## Related links

- [Making Shopify apps](/docs/apps/build)